zmk1962

Mine is a 1999 EFI 2-stroke and it beeps... the beep sounds at the gear/throttle control box where the ignition key is (not from the engine). Do you have access to a Mercury workshop manual for your motor? I googled for mine and found a PDF downloadable version - you may be as lucky. If I scan my manuals EFI troubleshooting page this is what it shows: So assuming yours is similar, and you have proven your fuel pump runs when you bypass the ECM and direct wire it - it starts to point to the ECM ....the ECM takes its input from the Air Temp Sensor and Water Temp Sensors.... and reading the maunal its says it adjusts fuel flow ... could explain why yours starts when it cools down ...then goes into limp mode after running at 4000rpm etc. I'd suggest to try and get your hands on a manual for your motor as the first step. I feel the only way to get to the bottom of this would be to follow the diagnostic procedures and go through the prescribed process of elimination. Usually with an intermittent problem - your pretty much relying on finding something not working within spec. Cheers Zoran

Hi Geoff The spigot has a key (little tag) on one side. The base has a notch to fit the key and let the spigot slide in or out. In my case I have to rotate the holder to face away from the water (point into the boat) to slot the spigot in or to take it out. So when the holder is facing the water it actually can’t be pulled up and out. Hope that makes sense. Maybe you have the base upside down or the base has to be on the water facing side of the rail. In any case, you need to change the orientation until the key slot does not allow you to pull the rod holder up and out when in the normal fishing position facing the water. Cheers Zoran

Thanks for the offer mate... I'll certainly reach out from now on - and reciprocate !! Wow .... that is a lot of "Valentining" for sure ! I agree with you - please invert my recommendation - Romance on Valentines day ONLY for your mob ! Cheers Z

Great Stuff.... love the use of the wings idea - hate wasting any part of a fish... will add it to my process for sure ! Cheers Zoran

Friggin awesome effort !

@HawkesburyFisho think like a fish. They are essentially opportunistic and don't want to waste unnecessary effort to get their food. They will lie in eddies out of the current waiting for food to wash past them rather then fight the current and expend energy. Do you have a sounder on your boat? Have you located the drop-off and reef. Think incoming tide and where do you want to place your boat so that you're lines end up where the fish are most likely to be. Cheers Zoran

Hey Raiders .... had some time today to whack together a video .. You can see how it started bumpy and became glassy throughout the day. Fast-forward all the boring bits, the shark fight is around 9:10 . Of course the GoPro battery was dead by then and we were fumbling on the iPhone. Cheers Z

Hey Geoff, In case my post didn't quite make sense ... here is how I have mounted/modified that rod holder. I found the plastic rod holder tube went brittle after a few summers in the sun but the mount and bracket/spigot seemed to be made of carbon fibre and quite robust. So I used some alloy tube as shown - still in use many many years later. Cheers Zoran

I didn't know the man .... but it sounds like we lost a good one ... my condolences to all. Cheers Z

Good stuff mate. I launch from Roseville if I'm heading to Longy, 12mile or wider - its a great ramp. Not sure if the fishing "up there is better", unless you are referring to our Port Stephens Raiders locations.... I see Sam ( @GoingFishing ) often does well out of Sydney harbour. Maybe we'll just have to work it out together. Let's catch up when you're back. Best of luck for your Jindy trip mate. Cheers Z

Thanks Scratchie. The Seabreeze forecast was spot on ... we were out of the water on the ramp just before 1pm and starting to clean the fish when the 20kts winds gusts hit ... so instead of smashing us on the way back in it was like a cooling fan at the cleaning table -- it's great when things go to plan. Oh rest assured they were there - it took a while to get a photo without a pelican photobomb !! Never ceases to amaze me how a pelican can swallow a 60cm flathead frame whole (spikes and all) .and come back for more. We also had a group of Korean lady tourists offering to buy some of our fresh catch... its wasn't just the pelicans we had to worry about. Hey Gordon - flatties are certainly up there as one of my favourite fish. It was a top morning indeed. We'll have to hook up for a fish out of Brokenbay one day mate ... or you'll have to show me some of your spots - from memory you tend to fish south more. Cheers mate. Hey Sam... I'll post a video of the shark fight - it was a top way to end the day. We hooked the bugger bottom bashing 60m down - I guess that explained why the fish went off the bite with this thing lurking around. Mate, you are blessed you have a large family - I recall many a post where you were able to fill a crew from family members. I've missed many a good fishing day because I could NOT raise a crew! Hmmmm the Valentines day syndrome - sounds like you could educate your relos that they are allowed to be romantic on days other than Valentines day ... it will open up at least 364 days of additional opportunity 😉 Bahaha ! Cheers Z

G'day Raiders, With the weather and conditions promising to break for a few hours this morning, I contacted a recently retired mate (Wayno) and we made a plan to hit the flathead grounds off Barrenjoey to hopefully restock the freezers. Left my place at 5am and were on the water out of Parsley Bay at 6am. Dead low tide and glassy conditions (2-3kts wind barely noticeable). Sped off to my favourite offshore locations it was a bit bumpy with the 1.1m seas but no real issue - the first location at 50m was barren, so moved to 60m and we were on. The action was not as fast as a few weeks back, but by 11am the conditions were glassy and we had bagged out on bluespot with half the fish in the 55-60cm range and the rest 40-55cm. There was a big tiger in the pack as well as a bonus of 5 red spot whiting. My mate also decided to keep a huge sergeant baker - he is determined to try the two meaty fillets that came off it. We were fishing my usual two hook paternoster rig, with an SP on the top hook and salted pilchard halves below. We also used some of the frozen slimy mackerels that @antonywardle and I caught a few weeks back and I kept for bait. The whole mackerel heads with an inch of the spine left on accounted for some of the biggest flatties, but overall it was 50:50 between the SPs and the bait. At about 11am the bite just went dead. So we started to clean up, de-rig and get ready for the trip back. The last rod in the water had and SP and a mackerel head as bait. As I went to pick it up, the rod loaded up - it was heavy! I thought it was snagged but then felt the thump, thump - a few hard pumps and it started to lift off the bottom and was kicking - so my first thoughts ray?, banjo?, shovelnose? .... but then it started to run and headshake - the Penn 950s reel screaming. What followed next was 25min of pure fun as we strapped on rod buckets and passed the rod between us fighting the beast of the deep ! We brought it to the boat 5 times, the 10 ft mono leader just broke the surface before it would dive down again. Eventually we got it close enough to assess it looked like a grey nurse about 5ft long .... before the paternoster double gave way..... and we lost the only hook of the day - infact the only gear lost the whole day!!!! What a great way to top of our Tight-lines Tuesday! Cheers Zoran PS - I have some videos of the day and will try to find time to upload at some stage, but thought I'd get the report out ASAP.

Hectic, hardcore and heavy on maintenance is what came to mind watching that. Best of luck to them - they look like a commercial crew doing this daily - lots of things that can go sideways. Great fish though. Cheers Zoran

Awesome discussion guys. I have mostly baitfished and trolled so this level of insight is new ground for me - thank you. Has anyone tried spray painting silver hooks a different colour - would that have the same result as using the bronze trebles? Cheers Zoran

I installed bullhorn Hydaulic steering in 1998 - it drives a 200+15aux linked steering setup. Same fluid tubes, cylinder and pump system still in service today - faultless and effortless. I have changed the fluid 3 times in that period - not because problems arose but because I thought I should change it. You wont regret it. Cheers Z

Yup... Sorry should have made it clearer... I was referring to trolling with bridle rigs vs generic live baiting as the Topic was about Trolling. Cheers Z

I'd be interested to hear how @PaddyT does it.... for me, I have found that bridle rigging a live bait keeps it alive the longest as it does not interfere with its normal breathing. If its a small bait an elastic band works, if its bigger like a small bonnie then a loop of dacron does the job. It's simplest if you have a live bait needle. I have the needle and elastic bands / loops of dacron easily accessible on my cutting board ready to go - so the bait spends minimum time out of the water. Cheers Zoran

@garfield28 the picture you posted probably looks confusing as its oriented the wrong way. The picture below shows how its clipped onto the rail ... and you tilt the rod holder in the direction of the arrow to point over the gunwale. The spigot slots in vertically into the rail clamp mount - this prevents it from being pulled out. There is a little key on the spigot and a slot in the rail clamp hole that ensures you can't accidentally whip the rod holder out of the mount (you need to consciously rotate it 180deg to line up the key and the slot and lift vertically to remove the rod holder). I installed these many years ago (not on rails, but on the inside face of my gunwales), and eventually replaced the rod holder plastic part with an alloy tube that I had modified to allow easy rod placement. I used the spigot mount and the spigot bracket to hold the alloy tube - still inservice today many years later. Cheers Zoran

Welcome Michael. I’m located in Sydney North West - Castle Hill. Happy to share/ swap fishing and boating experiences. I wouldn’t consider my self a pro but do ok. Cheers Zoran

Nice one.... that fish lives at the top of my bucket list.... one day one day ! Cheers Zoran

Hey Raiders, Just to keep everyone fully updated... I am still receiving emails from various departments and although there is contradiction in the responses the latest came from Traffic and Highway Patrol Command and they are adamant ..... ----------------------------------------------------- This device can not be attached to the vehicle/s while under tow. Kind regards Belinda Rosolen A/Sergeant Special Projects Traffic and Highway Patrol Command ------------------------------------------------------- I have attached the email for reference. I guess could continue the debate but when there is such variance of opinion between the departments I think its best to take the path of least resistance option. So going forward I will not be driving with the coupling lock attached and will be adding fitting trailer coupling lock to my boat ramp carpark routine. Cheers Zoran Fw Contact to NSW Police Ref 605885 0 CAS888418X2Q9 DLMSensitiveLaw Enforcement SLE.pdf

+1 for everything @Welster said ! We must have learnt of the same page. Cheers Zoran

Awsome report on what was obviously an unforgettable trip. Glad to see you're having a blast Gordon ! All the bast mate. Cheers Zoran

For me, all antitheft coupling devices are basically a deterrent. A battery powered grinder with a 2mm multi material cutting disc will make short work of any antitheft coupling. Insurance takes over where antitheft prevention ends. So if the insurance company accepts a $24 device as adequate for the policy its good enough for me for the Sydney ramps I visit. I guess its the same logic with home alarms - my insurance company gave a significant discount if a back to base system was installed - they specified the minimum system that met their requirements. That's what I installed. PS - I'd reconsider my decision regarding the coupling if I was travelling to remote locations where the logistics of what to do if a trailer is stolen are significantly more complex. Cheers Z

Interesting. I ran the peak of the locking bar across my bench grinder a few times and shaved a few mm off. It is now tight on the Trailer ball coupling when left in the driveway, and has enough play to allow "normal movement" when locked over tongue and ball coupling when on the car. Turning it upside down was too loose with my set up. I would classify a jack knife situation as abnormal and hence not fall under "normal operation". Cheers Z